The major difference between a baseball glove and a mitt is that the mitt doesn’t have individual fingers. Mitts are constructed to perform better at controlling wild, wayward pitches and thrown balls than typical gloves. The gloves for all baseball positions except catcher are measured from the top edge to the heel of the glove and range between 9 and 12 ½ inches. Catcher’s mitts are measured by circumference and range from 31 to 34 ½ inches. A top grade catcher’s mitt can represent a substantial financial investment, so correct sizing makes practical sense.
Catcher’s Mitt
Spread the catcher’s mitt open as wide as you can.
Set it palm side down on a flat surface. Press it downward to flatten it out as much as possible.
Measure around the perimeter with a flexible measuring tape. This measurement is the mitt’s circumference, or size.
Sizing a Catcher’s Mitt
Measure your baseball glove from the top edge of the index finger to the heel.
Subtract this figure from 12.5, which is the measurement in inches for the largest baseball glove on the market.
Subtract that difference from 34.5, which is the measurement in inches for the largest catcher’s mitt circumference on the market. The resulting difference is equal to the circumference, or size of the mitt that you need.
Tips
Use a large mitt if you’re catching someone who pitches knuckleballs. It’s challenging to predict where these pitches will end up.